Swimming at the 2024 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metre butterfly

The defending Olympic champion, Caeleb Dressel of the US; the defending Olympic silver medallist, Kristóf Milák of Hungary; and the defending Olympic bronze medallist, Noè Ponti of Switzerland, were returning.{{Cite web |last=Carlson |first=Reid |date=2024-07-22 |title=2024 Olympic Previews: Caeleb Dressel and the 49-Hopefuls in the Men's 100 Butterfly |url=https://swimswam.com/2024-olympic-previews-caeleb-dressel-and-the-49-hopefuls-in-the-mens-100-butterfly/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250115002336/https://swimswam.com/2024-olympic-previews-caeleb-dressel-and-the-49-hopefuls-in-the-mens-100-butterfly/ |archive-date=2025-01-15 |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=SwimSwam |language=en-US}} Dressel had missed a period of competition from 2022 to 2023,{{Cite web |title=Caeleb Dressel Bio |url=https://swimswam.com/bio/caeleb-dressel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731194155/https://swimswam.com/bio/caeleb-dressel/ |archive-date=2017-07-31 |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=SwimSwam |language=en-US}} during which Milák won the event at the 2022 World Championships. However, he also took a break from swimming in 2023. Milák returned to training in 2024, but the Hungarian national head coach Csaba Sós reported that Milák had been training inconsistently in the lead up to the Olympics.{{Cite web |last=Li |first=Yanyan |date=2024-07-25 |title=2024 Olympics Previews: It Will Be Milak Vs. Marchand In The Men's 200 Fly |url=https://swimswam.com/2024-olympics-previews-it-will-be-milak-vs-marchand-in-the-mens-200-fly/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241222182200/https://swimswam.com/2024-olympics-previews-it-will-be-milak-vs-marchand-in-the-mens-200-fly/ |archive-date=22 December 2024 |access-date=2024-12-22 |website=SwimSwam |language=en-US}} In Dressel and Milák's absence, France's Maxime Grousset won the event at the 2023 World Championships.

Going into the event, Canada's Josh Liendo was ranked number one in the world, having swum a 50.06 at the Canadian Olympic Trials. Other contenders who had swum under 51 seconds in 2024 were: Hungarian Hubert Kós, Dutchman Nyls Korstanje, Katsuhiro Matsumoto of Japan, Jakub Majerski of Poland, Gal Cohen Groumi of Israel and Thomas Heilman of the US. Both SwimSwam and Swimming World opined that Dressel would win gold and Liendo would take silver.{{Cite web |last=Rieder |first=David |date=2024-07-25 |title=Olympic Swimming Predictions, Day 8: Can Katie Ledecky Accomplish Four-Peat in 800 Freestyle? |url=https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/olympic-swimming-predictions-day-8-can-katie-ledecky-accomplish-four-peat-in-800-freestyle/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240810002326/https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/olympic-swimming-predictions-day-8-can-katie-ledecky-accomplish-four-peat-in-800-freestyle/ |archive-date=10 August 2024 |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=Swimming World |language=en-US}} Swimming World also said it was "one of the most anticipated races of the Paris Games" due to several competitors having qualifying times in the low-to-mid 50 seconds.{{Cite web |last=Rieder |first=David |date=2024-04-09 |title=As Hype Builds for Paris Olympics, Men's 100 Butterfly Could Be a Race to Remember |url=https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/as-hype-builds-for-paris-olympics-mens-100-butterfly-could-be-a-race-to-remember/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240529220645/https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/as-hype-builds-for-paris-olympics-mens-100-butterfly-could-be-a-race-to-remember/ |archive-date=29 May 2024 |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=Swimming World |language=en-US}}

The event was held at Paris La Défense Arena, which was converted to a swimming pool for the swimming events.{{Cite web |last=Burgaud |first=Florian |date=2024-07-22 |title=From concert hall and rugby stadium to Olympic swimming pool arena in a matter of weeks, the metamorphosis of the Paris La Défense Arena is complete |url=https://www.olympics.com/en/news/concert-hall-rugby-stadium-olympic-swimming-pool-arena-paris-la-defense |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240804191900/https://olympics.com/en/news/concert-hall-rugby-stadium-olympic-swimming-pool-arena-paris-la-defense |archive-date=2024-08-04 |access-date=2025-02-01 |website=olympics.com |publisher=International Olympic Committee (IOC)}}

{{Further information|Swimming at the 2024 Summer Olympics – Qualification}}Each National Olympic Committee (NOC) was permitted to enter a maximum of two qualified athletes in each individual event, but only if both of them had attained the Olympic Qualifying Time (OQT).{{cite web |date=5 April 2022 |title=Paris 2024 – Swimming Info |url=https://www.fina.org/news/2563896/paris-2024-swimming-info |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230208222726/https://www.fina.org/news/2563896/paris-2024-swimming-info |archive-date=2023-02-08 |access-date=12 November 2022 |publisher=World Aquatics}} For this event, the OQT was 51.67 seconds. World Aquatics then considered athletes qualifying through universality; NOCs were given one event entry for each gender, which could be used by any athlete regardless of qualification time, providing the spaces had not already been taken by athletes from that nation who had achieved the OQT.{{Cite |title=Entries list - Swimming |url=https://resources.fina.org/fina/document/2024/07/12/64c5ea6d-ef1b-49fc-a9cf-445966773ae7/OG00459_Swimming_entries_10.07.24.xlsx |access-date=2024-12-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240712132646/https://resources.fina.org/fina/document/2024/07/12/64c5ea6d-ef1b-49fc-a9cf-445966773ae7/OG00459_Swimming_entries_10.07.24.xlsx |archive-date=2024-07-12 |url-status=live |publisher=World Aquatics}} Finally, the rest of the spaces were filled by athletes who had met the Olympic Consideration Time (OCT), which was 51.93 for this event. In total, 29 athletes qualified through achieving the OQT, 10 athletes qualified through universality places and one athlete qualified through achieving the OCT.

Five heats (preliminary rounds) took place on 2 August 2024, starting at 11:00.{{Efn|All times are Central European Summer Time (UTC+2)}} The swimmers with the best 16 times in the heats advanced to the semifinals.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-24 |title=Olympic swimming rules: How can swimmers qualify for finals and win medals - format explained |url=https://www.olympics.com/en/news/olympics-swimming-rules |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240821105532/https://olympics.com/en/news/olympics-swimming-rules |archive-date=2024-08-21 |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=olympics.com |publisher=International Olympic Committee (IOC)}} Milák swam the fastest, with a time of 50.19. Heilman did not qualify.{{Cite web |last=Penland |first=Spencer |date=2024-08-02 |title=2024 Paris Olympics: Day 7 Prelims Live Recap |url=https://swimswam.com/2024-paris-olympics-day-7-prelims-live-recap/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241224193026/https://swimswam.com/2024-paris-olympics-day-7-prelims-live-recap/ |archive-date=24 December 2024 |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=SwimSwam |language=en-US}} Jesse Ssuubi Ssengonzi lowered his Ugandan record with a time of 53.76.{{Cite web |last=Rosado |first=Laura |date=2024-08-02 |title=2024 Paris Olympics: 2x D3 NCAA Champion Jesse Ssengonzi Lowers Own Ugandan Record in 100 Fly |url=https://swimswam.com/2024-paris-olympics-2x-d3-ncaa-champion-jesse-ssengonzi-lowers-own-ugandan-record-in-100-fly/ |access-date=2025-02-23 |website=SwimSwam |language=en-US}}

Two semifinals took place on 2 August, starting at 21:05. The swimmers with the best eight times in the semifinals advanced to the final.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-24 |title=Olympic swimming rules: How can swimmers qualify for finals and win medals - format explained |url=https://www.olympics.com/en/news/olympics-swimming-rules |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240821105532/https://olympics.com/en/news/olympics-swimming-rules |archive-date=2024-08-21 |access-date=2024-05-07 |website=olympics.com |publisher=International Olympic Committee (IOC)}} Milák claimed the fastest seed with at time of 50.38, and Grousset finished with 50.41 to take the second seed.{{Cite web |last=Penland |first=Spencer |date=2024-08-03 |title=2024 Paris Olympics: Day 7 Finals Live Recap |url=https://swimswam.com/2024-paris-olympics-day-7-finals-live-recap/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241210015342/https://swimswam.com/2024-paris-olympics-day-7-finals-live-recap/ |archive-date=10 December 2024 |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=SwimSwam |language=en-US}} Dressel did not make it through to the final with a time of 51.57,{{Cite web |last=Fast |first=Annie |date=2024-08-03 |title=Paris 2024 swimming: Hungary's Kristof Milak finally gets his gold in 100m butterfly |url=https://www.olympics.com/en/news/paris-2024-swimming-men-hungary-milak-gold-100m-butterfly |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=olympics.com |publisher=International Olympic Committee (IOC) |archive-date=26 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240926105805/https://olympics.com/en/news/paris-2024-swimming-men-hungary-milak-gold-100m-butterfly |url-status=live }} and was filmed crying after the race.{{Cite web |last=Pelshaw |first=Anya |date=2024-08-03 |title=Who Was Caeleb Dressel Hugging After Missing The 100 Butterfly Final? |url=https://swimswam.com/who-was-caeleb-dressel-hugging-after-missing-the-100-butterfly-final/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241224173643/https://swimswam.com/who-was-caeleb-dressel-hugging-after-missing-the-100-butterfly-final/ |archive-date=24 December 2024 |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=SwimSwam |language=en-US}} SwimSwam speculated that is poor performance could have been due to having already swum three races that day, including the final of the 50 metre freestyle 30 minutes earlier.{{Cite web |last=Pelshaw |first=Anya |date=2024-08-02 |title=Caeleb Dressel Misses Olympic Final Of Men's 100 Butterfly With 51.57 For 13th In Semifinals |url=https://swimswam.com/caeleb-dressel-misses-olympic-final-of-mens-100-butterfly-with-51-57-for-13th-in-semifinals/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240909090434/https://swimswam.com/caeleb-dressel-misses-olympic-final-of-mens-100-butterfly-with-51-57-for-13th-in-semifinals/ |archive-date=2024-09-09 |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=SwimSwam |language=en-US}} Nyls Korstanje set a new Dutch record of 50.59 to qualify fourth, which beat his previous national record of 50.78. None of the countries that qualified had previously won a gold medal in the event.{{Cite web |last=Bush |first=Bradley |date=2024-08-02 |title=2024 Paris Olympics Day 7 Finals: Fun Facts |url=https://swimswam.com/2024-paris-olympics-day-7-finals-fun-facts/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240911205443/https://swimswam.com/2024-paris-olympics-day-7-finals-fun-facts/ |archive-date=11 September 2024 |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=SwimSwam |language=en-US}}

{{external media|video1=[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQs-zSVIm_M Men's 100 metre butterfly final]|width=300px|float=right}}The final took place at 20:30 on 3 August. Milák won with a time of 49.90;{{Cite web |last=Ransom |first=Ian |date=2024-08-03 |title=Milak wins men's 100 metres butterfly gold |url=https://www.reuters.com/sports/olympics/swimming-milak-wins-mens-100-metres-butterfly-gold-2024-08-03/ |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=Reuters}} he was fifth at the halfway turn but finished with the fastest closing 50 metres split to win gold. Canada's Ilya Kharun had the second fastest closing 50 metres split, which elevated him from seventh at halfway to third at the finish, winning him the bronze. Grousset was third at the 50 metre mark, but performed a slow turn compared to the rest of the field which SwimSwam later opined may have cost him third place.{{Cite web |last=Hérailh |first=Dominique |date=2024-09-26 |title=Analyzing The Men's 100 Fly Final In Paris: Milak Holds Form Down The Stretch For Gold |url=https://swimswam.com/analyzing-the-mens-100-fly-final-in-paris-milak-holds-form-down-the-stretch-for-gold/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241222143447/https://swimswam.com/analyzing-the-mens-100-fly-final-in-paris-milak-holds-form-down-the-stretch-for-gold/ |archive-date=22 December 2024 |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=SwimSwam |language=en-US}} Liendo was second at the 50 metre mark, but he performed a fast open turn and underwater to emerge in the lead. He didn't finish as close to the optimum period in the butterfly stroke as Milák did, which SwimSwam said might have cost him the gold medal.{{Cite web |last=Penland |first=Spencer |date=2024-08-04 |title=2024 Paris Olympics: Day 8 Finals Live Recap |url=https://swimswam.com/2024-paris-olympics-day-8-finals-live-recap/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240821173117/https://swimswam.com/2024-paris-olympics-day-8-finals-live-recap/ |archive-date=21 August 2024 |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=SwimSwam |language=en-US}} He won silver with a new Canadian national record of 49.99. Karun was the only swimmer to increase his distance per stroke (DPS) throughout the race, while Milák had the highest average DPS.

Liendo's silver made him the fifth fastest performer of all time in the event and won him his first Olympic medal.{{Cite web |last=Li |first=Yanyan |date=2024-08-03 |title=Josh Liendo Clocks 49.99 100 Fly Canadian Record, Becomes #5 Performer Of All-Time |url=https://swimswam.com/josh-liendo-clocks-49-99-100-fly-canadian-record-becomes-5-performer-of-all-time/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240923121820/https://swimswam.com/josh-liendo-clocks-49-99-100-fly-canadian-record-becomes-5-performer-of-all-time/ |archive-date=23 September 2024 |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=SwimSwam |language=en-US}} Liendo and Kharun gave Canada its first double podium of the games since the 1976 Summer Olympics.{{Cite web |last=Fenton |first=Caela |date=2024-08-03 |title=Liendo and Kharun double podium in men's 100m butterfly |url=https://olympic.ca/2024/08/03/100m-butterfly-medal/ |access-date=2025-02-08 |website=Team Canada - Official Olympic Team Website |language=en-US |archive-date=20 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240920114238/https://olympic.ca/2024/08/03/100m-butterfly-medal/ |url-status=live }}

{{Notelist}}

{{Reflist}}{{Footer Olympic Champions 100 m Butterfly Men}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Swimming at the 2024 Summer Olympics - Men's 100 metre butterfly}}

Men's 00100 metre butterfly

Olympics

Category:Men's events at the 2024 Summer Olympics